Fruit and Veggie Cleaning Tips

A reader wants to know the best way to clean fresh fruits and vegetables.

Q: What’s the best way to wash fruits and vegetables?

A: You need to be a bit meticulous about detoxing your fruit and veggies to eliminate pesticide residues. Here’s the best way to do it.

Wash all produce vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds using a brush and running water. This can be as effective as washing in chlorinated water, which reduces bacteria as much as 100-fold. Wash the “toxic 10” twice. These 10 fruits and veggies have the most pesticides: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, kale, lettuce, nectarines, peaches and strawberries. Remove and discard outer layers of leafy greens before washing. Scrub produce with inedible skins—citrus, melons, squash and even bananas. Wash organic produce to remove all the natural stuff used as fertilizer.